Summary The Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program (SUDTP) is a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals providing patient centered mental health care focused on treating addiction. Incumbent may be assigned as a general therapist, evening outpatient therapist, methadone clinic therapist, and trauma-SUD therapist. The team manages, coordinates, and provides Veteran-centered, recovery-oriented, and evidence-based care that is consistent with the Veteran's identified treatment goals. Responsibilities Major duties include, but are not limited to: - The incumbent must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, identify level of functioning, degree of impairment in occupational, social, academic, interpersonal and family. - Perform mental status exams (MSE). - Identify psychiatric manifestations of various medical conditions. - Possess knowledge of the criteria and state laws for legal commitment and involuntary hospitalizations. - Ability to assess and intervene with patients of suspected abuse. - The incumbent is able to independently provide substance use and mental health focused psychosocial interventions outlined in the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health. - The incumbent independently completes thorough biopsychosocial assessments to determine the substance use and mental health diagnoses, psychosocial functioning, and associated needs of the Veteran and/or their family. The social worker utilizes this assessment to develop and implement a comprehensive treatment plan in Mental Health Suites to address assessed needs including community integration. The incumbent follows the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Adult Patient Placement Criteria for the Treatment of Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders to assess and assigning a level of care and setting for treatment. - Possesses working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures in working with diverse populations and circumstances. This includes acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, psychiatric, medical and social problems, common medications and their effects/side effects and medical terminology. - Social work coordination with members of the treatment team is required, to ensure a collaborative effort to meet the treatment goals for a Veteran. Monitors high-risk patients on their team. Collaborates with the Suicide prevention team and the Local Recovery Coordinator and will be well versed in suicide prevention SOPs. Performs advanced level management interventions used in the treatment of veterans with poly-trauma injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, visual impairment, post-traumatic stress disorder, addictions, and serious mental illness. Facilitates completion of advance directives and psychiatric advance directives with Veterans and their families. Maintains familiarity with and support all VA performance measures that pertain to their practice. - Provides for Documentation per the SAVAHCS policies. Documents staff interventions and activities in patients' clinical record {CPRS) and ensures appropriate hand off using SBAR when transferring patients care. Documents all contacts with patients/families in the medical charts per policy. Completes all clinical reminders per policy. Completes consults management per policy. - Completes statistical and other reports in accordance with the SAVAHCS and respective professional discipline service policies. - Collaborates with SAVAHCS multi-disciplinary teams and participates in committee assignments as requested by supervisor. - Collaborates with community agencies to strive for developing more effective and efficient ways of delivering healthcare services for Veterans. - Supports the mission, policies, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and the Southern VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS). - Participates in The Joint Commission and CARF survey preparation activities, medical record reviews, and distribution, collection, and analysis of patient satisfaction surveys as needed. - Willing to modify their tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on evenings and weekends. - The incumbent must function independently in (four) 4 or more of the following supervisory assigned social work activities: a) Provide clinical supervision to social workers working toward their advanced level licensure (LCSW or equivalent); b. act as a social work clinical supervisor to social work interns; c. provide coverage and serve as back-up to SUDTP case managers and/or care coordinators when relevant; d. assist in mental health consult review and management; e. Provide training and consultation to other staff on evidence-based psychotherapies; (Additional Social Work duties of this complexity may be added or removed as workload dictates). Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m./8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. work schedule, but work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the service. Telework: May be available per supervisory consideration and approval. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Master's degree in Social Work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the school of social work is fully accredited. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. Experience: At least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment and are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: Experience providing harm-reduction-based psychotherapy using evidence-based practice protocols. Experience providing psychotherapy for dual-diagnosis adults to include PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Experience working with the Veteran and/or military population. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-39 Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. However, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until January 9, 2025. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be November 9, 2024. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until position is filled. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.